VIVA Gallery’s guest artists in August will
feature the work of member artist Maureen Karlstad and her family, husband John and two of their
children, Mag and Brendan. John and Maureen have always been interested in the arts, and have
instilled that love in each of their seven children. All of the artwork in their house is original and created
by the family and their friends.John Karlstad is a woodworker whose primary profession is building houses, but he makes time to create
one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture in his shop. He also makes wooden swords, primarily for his children
and grandchildren. Maureen, a member of VIVA since its inception, is a potter who specialized in
functional pieces for everyday use. She also enjoys working in other media—calligraphy, photography
and painting in watercolor.Mag Karlstad has been painting in oils since she was fourteen. She has a degree in English from Viterbo
University, and has creatively merged her interest in writing with her interest in painting; each of her
paintings is accompanied by an essay. The paintings and essays in this exhibit are from a commission to
study the life of Saint Brendon.
Brendan Karlstad works with both clay and wood. While attending St. Olaf College, he created many
beautiful ceramic sculptures and was featured in the senior show even though he was not majoring in
art. He now lives in Brooklyn, New York, and makes custom furniture in a cooperative woodworking
shop.